Ticket issuing machine



Jan. 26, 1943. R. H. HELsEL TICKET ISSUING MACHINE Original. VFiled Feb. 8. 194'0 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan' 26, 1943.l R. H. HELsl-:L l 2,309,191

TNKET IssUING MACHINE Arranz- K5.

original Filed Feb- 8, 1940 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Jan. 26, 1943 2,309,191 TICKET ISSING MACHINE Reuben H. Helsel, Long Island City, N. Y., assignor to General Register Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Pennsylvania riginal application February 8, 1940 Serial No. 317,819. Divided and this application October l1, 1941, Serial No. 414,583

9 Claims. (Cl. 164-49) This invention relates to a ticket issuing machine, and more particularly to a machine adapted to print and issue tickets.

This application is a `division of my application Serial No. 317,819, filed February 8, 1940.

Pre-printed `tickets, have a value which some-v they are issued, and for this purpose various machines have been designed. The appearance of the ticket must often be taken into consideration, however, and in general it is diicult to print in a ticket issuing machine tickets comparable in appearance with those printed in strips by apparatus devoted solely to the printing opera-U tion.

It is sometimes desirable, particularly when both printing and issuing tickets, that tickets issued by a machine should be either of a certain predetermined length or double that length,l

the latter condition arising, for example, in the case of railroad return tickets, rain checks or the like.

It is a broad object of the present invention to provide a ticket printing and issuing machine in which printing of good quality can be accomplished so that the machine may be acceptable for printing, for example, railroad tickets. A further object of the invention is the provision of a machine which, by a quite simple adjustment, which may be effected by any ordinary user of the machine,will serve to cause it to issue either a single or `double length ticket, the arrangement being such that, after an adjustment is made, that adjustment may be inaccessible to the operator of the machine.

As will be evident hereafter, the machine of the present invention may be either key or coin operated. In case it is key operated, it is preferaby provided with means to prevent the issue of more than one single or double length ticket if the key is held down.

Further objects of the invention relating to details, for example, the arrangement of means for carrying and eiecting the feed of an inking ribbon,` and means for causing a knife to operate but once in a cycle of operation, irrespective of the issue of a single or double length ticket, will be apparent from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a unit of the machine taken inside a left hand cover plate thereof;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of said unit;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the rear portion of said unit taken on the plane indicated at 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section showing particularly the adjustment necessary to convert the machine to issue selectively single or double length tickets; and

Figure 5 is afragmentary View showing means for preventing multiple operation in the event the operating key is held down.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is shown as adapted for key operation though, as

. will be evident, it may be coin operated. The

drawings show a single unit which, as is custom- 4 ary, is adapted to be received, along with other units, in a suitable housing, and to discharge i its tickets through a suitable opening in a cover vide for driving them by a single motor, and

for this purpose there is provided in the present instanceY a transverse shaft 2 extending below all of the units within the housing and geared to be driven by a motor 3. This type of drive fora plurality of units is quite conventional, and need not be further described.

Beneath each of the units of the set the shaft 2 carries a pinion 6. Above this pinion and arranged to mesh with it in each of the units is a gear 8, which is mutilated to the extent of removal of teeth from a small section of its circumference. Pivoted at I0 on this gear 8 is a toothed segment I2, normally urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, by a spring I4. When the unit is in its raised position, as illustrated in that gure, a pin I8, carried by the segment I2, is engaged with a shoulder I8 on a lever 20, so that the segment is drawn inwardly with its teeth clearing the pinion 6 inside the circle of 4 the other teeth of gear 8. When the pin I6 is released, however, as later described, the spring I4 will swing the segment I2 to a position limited by engagement of a pin 2li carried by thegear 8 with the side of an opening 22 in the segment. When this position is attained the teeth of segment I2 supplement the teeth of the gear 8 to provide a complete set of teeth so that the gear 8 and the parts which it carries serve as a complete gear to be a transverse pin 3l.

The lever previously referred to is pivoted i upon a-pin 26 and has an upwardly extending arm 28 adapted to be actuated during the operation of the machine as hereafter described.

Referringmore particularly to Figure 3, the hub 32 of the gear 8 carries the pinion 34, which meshes with a pinion 36 journalled upon This in turn meshes with a pinion 38, connected to a disc 40, which has a portion of its circumference cut away, as illustrated at 42. The pinion 38 and disc 40 are journalled upon a transverse pinV 44,v a suitable Y hub arrangement serving to connect the rotating parts. Also journalled upon the pin 44 and secured to and rotating with the pinion 38 and disc 40 is a gear 45, which meshes with a pinion 88 hereafter described.

Located in the vertical plane of the disc 40 is a circular disc 46 journalled upon a pin 50 and carrying a pinion 48 meshing with pinion 38. The disc 48 and pinion 48 are carried at one end of the pin 50, and while the opposite end of the pin has only a moderately loose fit in its side plate of the frame, the end to which the pinion 48. is adjacent is free to move within a sloi-l 5I in the opposite side plate and is urged downwardly by a link 52, which embraces its end and is connected to a spring 54 at its lower end secured to the frame. By reason of this arrangement, the disc 48 is drawn toward the disc 48 so as to cooperate with the high portion of the latter' disc to grasp the end of a ticket strip and feed the same. The ticket strip is guided `between the feeding discs over a surface, indicated at 55, which is slotted for the extension of the gears and discs therethrough The ticket strip is fed between the fixed blade 58 and the` movable blade 60, which cooperate to cut ticket sections from the strip. The movable blade 60 is provided with an opening in which may engage a finger 62 pivoted to the upper end of a lever 64, which is journalled upon the pin 26 and provided with a tail portion adapted to be engaged by a roller 68 carried by the gear 34. A

` roller 69 serves to insure the positive rearward movement of the lever 84, though this lever is spring urged toward its rearward position by means of a spring 14. The movable knife is urged downward so as to tightly engage the fixed knife 58 by means of a link 10 pivoted to it and acted upon by a spring '|2.

rI'he finger 62 is pivoted to the upper end of a link '16, the lower end of ,which is pivoted at 18 to the lever 20, previously mentioned.

'I'he pinion 80, arranged to be driven by the A .gear 45, has secured to it a pinion 82, which in turn meshes with a gear 84 journalled upon the pin 44 independentlyof the gears 38 andl 45 and disc 48. This arrangement Vis such that when the gear 8 and pinions 34, 38 and 38 and their associated parts make ai single revolution,

' the gear 84 will make only.' half a revolution. This gear 84 has projecting from it a pin 88.

trated in Figure l, a screw 92 tapped into the` carrier 88 is engaged in one end of an arcuate slot 54, whereas in the position illustrated in `Figure 4 a screw 82 is located in the other end of this slot, being adapted to be retained in either end of the slot by an enlarged tapered portion, indicated at 88 in Figure l.

When the adjustment is that of Figure l, the pins 86 and 98 are located diametrically opposite each other. On the other hand, when the adjustment is that of Figure 4, the pins are located adjacent each other and, as will be evident from the description of the operation hereafter, they are so close that the practical effect is to have only the pin 06 perform any operation.

A link 98 is pivoted by means of a pin |00 to the lower end of the lever 20. Its forward end is provided with a hook |82 engageable with a transverse bar |04 secured to the frame. A spring |03 urges thelink downwardly and rearwardly, as will be clear from Figurerl. Journalled on pin |38 is a key I0, which has a rearwardly extending arm ||2 located in Va vertical plane to engage the link 98. Carried by the link 98 is a block II4, above and overlapping which there is the hooked end |I5 of a lever IIS pivoted at i il to the frame and urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, by a spring IIB. The pin to which the springy I I8 is connected extends through a slot |20 in the frame plate, which limits the counter-clockwise position of the lever IIE.

The forward end of the link 88 carries a pi which engages a slot in the lower end of a lever |22, the upper end of which carries teeth engaging with the operating pinion |24 of a counter |26. Upon each actuation of the lever |22, the counter is advanced to record the issue of a ticket. A single recording occurs upon each cycle of operation of the machine, irrespective of whether a single or double length ticket is issued.

A lever'38, journalled upon a transverse pin ISI, is provided with a shaped end |28 overlying, and arranged to be engaged by, the .pin |00 connecting the link 88 withy the lever 20. The forward end of the lever |38 isv arranged to engage a plate |32, normally urged upwardly Y by a spring I3I, extending beneath all of the units and pivoted on a pin |33. When the lever |30 moves clockwise, the plate I 32 is forced downward, causing a conducting element on the one of the units may control the driving of the motor, and through it, of the shaft 2. Because of the interrupted nature of the gear 8, however, the rotation of the shaft 2 will serve to actuate only that unit yof which the key has been depressed. In orderV to secure a proper continued operation, as will be described'hereafter, there is a second lever |36, located adjacent the lever |30 and alsopivoted on the pin |3I. It is this latterV lever which is provided with the arm I3 previously mentioned.

The ticket strip to be fed through the machine is led through a guide comprising lower and upper members |42 and |44, respectively. Pivoted at |48 to a fixed member |41 'adjustable lengthwise of thefguidesis a lever |48 to which islpiv- @ted at its upper end at 15o a enger |52 acted upon by a spring |54'serving to move `t`to a position limited by engagement of a tail ofthe nger with a stop lug |56 on lever |48. By

`reasonof the position of spring |54, it will be lposition of the roller |60 with respect to plate |51 may be adjusted by means of an abutment screw |63, tending to spring the plates |51 and |58 apart. The upper face of plate |51`is faced with a soft platen material, for example of rubber composition, indicated at |64.

Arranged to be removably located in the unit is the printing assembly, indicated generally at` |06, and comprising a pair of side plates joined' to each other and carrying ratchet members |68 and |10 on the shafts of which is wound an inking ribbon |12 guided over rollers |14 and |16 past a printing plate |18 removably secured in the printing unit. rIhe ribbon also extends past a dating head |80, which is of conventional construction and adapted to be adjusted through lthe medium of an arm |82 and a plunger |84 accessible at the top of the unit. The platen |64'is adapted to press the ticket material against the ribbon so that it will receive the impressions of the plate |18 and the dating head 80. If desired, a suitable numbering head may be provided which may be advanced in obvious fashion upon each operation ofthe unit.

To advance the inking ribbon to bring fresh portions adjacent the printing elements, a double pawl |86 is pivoted to a bell crank |92 mounted in the printing unit. This bell crank is provided with a smoothly rounded end |94 having a slot arranged to embrace a pin |96 carried by the upper end of a link |98 which is urged upwardly by a spring |99 into engagement with a fixed bar 202 on which the printing assembly rests. The

link |90 is pivoted to a bell crank 200 journalled" upon the shaft 31 and adapted to be rocked by means of an eccentric |40 carried by the gear 8.

To shift the pawl so as to move lthe ratchet |68 or |10 selectively, there is pivoted to the bell crank |92 a lever |90, in which is mounted a spring pressed pin |80 adapted to act on the pawl |86 on either side of its pivotal connection to the bell crank |92.

The printing assembly is adapted to be readily removed from the unit, and for this purpose the side plates thereof are slotted, as indicated at 204, to embrace pins 206, while extending outwardly from the assembly are pins 208 adapted to be received within slots 2|0 in the upper portions of the side plates. By reason of this arrangement, the assembly may be readily lifted from the unit, but because of the direction of extent of the slots 204 and 2|0, it is held rigidly against movement under the action of the platen during a printing operation, the slots extending substantially at right angles to the direction of application of the force to effect printing.

In the operation of the machine to issue single Alength tickets, the screw i92 is inthe i 'position indicated in Figure 1, so that the pins 86 and 90 Vare diametrically opposit'eeach other. When the machine is in its idle "condition, the parts are located in the'positions indicated inV Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5. j

Depression of the Akey 'causes the extension ||2 t0 raise bar r98, freeing shoulder |02 from bar |04. 98 is thereupon snappedto the left, as viewed in Figure 1, by the "action: of spring |06, causing a clockwise movement of lever 20,

which frees pin |6 from restraint by shoulder I8, 'thereby `permitting the'segment l2 to move outwardly into meshwith pinion 6. `At the same time, left hand movement of the pin |00 effects a rise of extension |28 of lever r|`30,`which closes the motor circuit by pressing downward the plate |32. Consequently, the driving `motor will be energized and rotation of 'gear 8 willbegin.

At this time, the ticket'strip will extendupwardly through the guides' |42 Vand |44'and over plate56, its upper end extending to theline of cutting of the knives 58 and 60. The ticketstrip will not be engaged by the feeding disc'40, but thev finger |52 will be engaged withinv a hole thereof, having previously produced a proper alignment of the strip, a`s`descrbed hereafter.

The initial movement of the bar 98 will cause the'segment |22 to rock, thereby advancing the reading of the counter |26.

' As rotation of gear`8l takes place in a counterclockwise direction, pinion 36 will rotate clockwise and thefrst action of themachine will be that of cam |62 upon roller |60 to cause the ticket strip to be pressed against the inkingribbon |12 backed by the type |18 and the dating head |80. This action takes place with great rapidity and a good" impression is thereby made upon the ticket.

Following the making of the impression, the next event in the operation is the feed of the 40 ticket strip, which is occasioned by engagement of the high portion of the disc 40 with the strip, pinching it against the disc' 46. The-strip is thus advanced past theaknives, andas this'advance takes place, the finger |52 is pulled upwardly so that it leaves the'hole in the stripand rides thereon until it can enter the next hole in the strip. As soon as it enters this hole, the ticket is released by thedisc 40, and the action of the spring |54 thereupon pulls the finger backwardly and with it the ticket strip to producea proper alignment of the ticket strip withftheknives for the cutting operation. Thisvaction'is'essentially the same as that described in my Patent No. 2,125,443.

At about this time, `thepin will have engaged the upper end 28 of the lever'20 to rock it counterclockwise to bring the shoulder I8 into the path of the pin I6. As` this action occurs, the pin |00 will be moved to the right releasing the lever |30. `Justiprior to such action, however, and in order to maintain the motor circuit closed, the arm I3 of thelever |36 will have beenraised by the action of cam I5, sothat the lever |36 will have been substitutedv for the lever |30 to hold the switch closed., As the lever 20 rocks counter-clockwise, it `willdraise the link A16 toimove the pusher 62 upwardly to engage the movable knife 60. Following this action, `the roller 68 will engage the lower end 66 of the knife actuating lever 64 to cause the movable knife v60 to make its' cutting stroke. rlhe cycle of operation is completed when the pin I6 engagesthe shoulder I8 to release the segment l2 to move upwardly under the. action of its spring to open the motor circuit. f Y

During each cycle of operation, the bell. crank 200 will be operated by the eccentric |40 to rock the bell crank |42 and thereby advance the inking ribbon |12 so as tobring a fresh portion in line with the type.

In the event that` the key H was released lprior to the end of the cycle of operation of the machine, it willbe evident that the counterclockwise movement of the lever 20 under the upwardly the detent H6, the nose of whichV slightly overlaps the block H4. As the bar 98 moves downwardand to the left, the block H4 slides under the nose H5.

If, now, the key H0 isheld down, then as the bar 98 is moved forward to the right, it will be` moved sufficiently far to clear the nose H5, so

. that upon release of the lever 20 by the pin 90, it will engagethe nose H5, so that movement toward the rear which would permit a,y second cycle' of operation to take place is prevented. A second operation can only be secured by rst releasing the key and then again depressing it. The release of the key permits the bar 98 to move downwardly so that the blockV H4 can clear the nose H5 ,of the detent, which'4 can move downwardly only to a limited extent by reason of the stopping action of the slot |20. As soon as the block H4 clears the nose H5, it may move slightly to the left until shoulder |02 engages bar |04. in position to be released by the key I I0 without restraint by the detent I I6.

In the next cycle of the machine, when the key is again depressed, the same series of operations will occur, but in this case the pin 86 will perform the function of the pin 90, it being remembered that the gear 84 rotates only a half revolution for every complete revolution of the gear 8.

'I'he spring 'I4 is used to retractv the movable knife before the end of a cycle, but to avoid any possibility of the knifes sticking, the roller 69 is provided to engage the lever 64 to insure its positive retraction of the knife prior to a feed of the ticket strip 'in a cycle of operation. Under normal conditions, the roller 69 may perform no function.

If a double length ticket is to be issued, the pin 90 is moved adjacent'the pin 86 by adjustment of the screw 92 to the opposite end of the Vslot 94. At the beginning of a cycle of operation to issue a double length ticket, these pins will be in the positions illustrated in Figure 4.

The cycle of operation in issuing a double length ticket will be readily understood from the foregoing description of the issue of a single length ticket, remembering, however, that in this case the gear 84 must"make a complete revolution rather than half a revolution before action upon the lever 20 takes place. As a result, when the time comes for the first movement of the lever 64 under the action of the roller 68, the link 16 will be in a lowered position with the pusher 62 below and out of engagement with Thus the bar 98 is brought the lmovable Vknife 60. Accordingly, while a rocking action of lever 64 occurs, the knife will not be moved, and consequently, the first half of the double length ticket will not be severed.

Similarly, as the pin I6 comes laround to its normal stopping position in the first revolution of the gear 8, it will not engage the shoulder I8, and consequently meshing of the segment I2 with the pinion 6 will continue to begin the second rotation of gear 8. Thus, so far as the printing and feed are concerned, a double printing and feeding action occurs before the pin 86 engages the lever to produce the cutting and stopping of the cycle. The pin 90 in this case merely follows the pin 86 'and performs no active function, since the lever 20 will already have been locked in its counter-clockwise position upon passage of the pin 86 by the arresting of the bar S8 by either bar |02 or detent H6, de-

20 pending upon whether or not the key was released after its first depression. Thus the machine may be very simply changed to issue single or double length tickets, the double length tickets having printed on them duplicate matter. TheA adjustment for securing the change is inaccessible below the conventional locked tcp plate of the machine so that tampering with it use of coins, utilising conventional coin controlled mechanism to free the equivalent of the bar 98. Thus it may be made available for the automatic issuing of railroad tickets, for example, in suburban stations which have a large volume of sales of, for example, tickets to Ya main city station.

What I claim is:

1. A ticket issuing machine comprising means including a single revolution clutch for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, and means through which a single manipulation of said controlling element may effect the issue of either kone or a plurality of tickets in a single operation, the last named means comprising a cyclically moving member making only a partial cycle during the issue of a single ticket by the machine, and a selectively positionable eiement on said member arranged to disengage said clutch either at the end of a single revolution or at the end of a plurality of revolutions thereof.

2. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, means for severing said strip, a controlling element, and means including a single revolution clutch through which a single manipulation of said controlling elernent may effect the issue of either one or a plurality of tickets in a single operation, the last named means comprising a cyclically moving member making only a partial cycle duringV the issue of a single ticket by the machine, and a selectively positionable element on said member, arranged to disengage said clutch either at the end of a single revolution or at the end of a plurality of revolutions thereof, said last named means effecting a single severing of said strip in a single operation so that a plurality of tickets will issue asa single unit.

3. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, and means through which a single manipulation of said controlling element may effect the issue of either one or a plurality of tickets in a single operation, the last named means comprising a rotarymember making only a partial revolution during the issue of a single ticket by the machine, and an element adjustable about the axis of said rotary member and arranged to be secured thereto.

4. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, means for severing said strip, means for actuating said severing means, a controlling element, and means through which a single manipulation of said controlling element may effect the issue of either one or a plurality of tickets in a single operation, the last named means comprising a cyclically moving member making only a partial cycle during the issue of a single ticket by the machine, a selectively positionable element on said member, said actuating means for the severing means comprising a member movable in the same path during the issue of each ticket, and for interrupting the connection between said member and the severing means except during the issue of the last of a plurality of tickets to be issued in a single cycle of operation.

5. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, means through which location of said controlling element in a predetermined position elects a cycle of operation of the machine, and means for preventing the occurrence of a plurality of cycles of operation of the machine in the event of maintenance of said element in said predetermined position at the end of a cycle.

6. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a .ticket strip, a controlling element, meansl through which location of said controlling element in a predetermined position effects a cycle of operation of the machine, and means for preventing the occurrence of a plurality of cycles of operation of the machine in the event of maintenance of said element in said predetermined position at the end of a cycle, said last mentioned means comprising a member engageable with another element of said machine to stop its operation irrespective of said position of the controlling element.

7. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, means through which location of said controlling element in a predetermined position effects a cycle of operation of the machine, and means for preventing the occurrence of a plurality of cycles of operation of the machine in the event of maintenance of said element in said predetermined position at the end of a cycle, said last mentioned means comprising a member engageable with another element of said machine to stop its operation irrespective of said position of the controlling element, said member being disengaged from said other element When the controlling element moves from said predetermined position.

8. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, means through which location of said controlling element in a predetermined position effects a cycle of operation of the machine, the last named means comprising a second element and a stop normally restraining said second element, said second element being releasable from said stop upon movement of said controlling element to said predetermined position, and means for preventing the occurrence of a plurality of cycles of operation of the machine in the event of maintenance of said controlling element in said predetermined position at the end of a cycle, said last mentioned means comprising a member engageable with said second element to hold it in substantially the position in which it is held by said stop when said controlling element is in normal position.

9. A ticket issuing machine comprising means for feeding and guiding a ticket strip, a controlling element, and means through which a single manipulation of said controlling element may effect the issue of either one or a plurality of tickets in a single operation, the last named means comprising a cyclically moving member making a complete cycle during the issue of a single ticket by the machine and a second cyclically moving member making only a partial cycle during the issue of a single ticket by the machine, and a selectively positionable element in the last named member arranged to control the stopping of the first mentioned cyclically moving member after either one or a plurality of its cycles upon a single manipulation of said controlling element.

REUBEN H. HELSEL, 

